A special issue devoted to early revue sketches by Wole Soyinka, which have never been published outside Nigeria before. Soyinka’s most recent plays, “The Beatification of Area Boy” and “King Baabu” draw strongly on characters and incidents first created in Soyinka’s revues and satirical songs, such as “Before the Blackout” and “Unlimited Liability Company.” “Before the Blackout” staged in the late 1960s was published in Nigeria by Orisun Acting Editions, but is now a rarity. “Unlimited Liability Company” exists as a long-playing record, again rare. Other material, including the Unife Theatre Guerilla Unit’s “Before the Blowout” exists only in manuscript. Very few younger students of Soyinka’s work are aware of this material or have access to it. This volume brings these brilliant satirical works of Soyinka’s back to life and offers contextualizing commentaries from Martin Banham, Femi Osofisan, and colleagues of Soyinka’s associated with this early, but fundamentally formative work. Contents: Preface by Martin Banham--Back to Before by Martin Banham--Introduction --Introduction to Before the Blackout-Soyinka at Work. Recollections by Joachim Fiebach, Chuck Mike & Ahmed Yerima--Before the Blowout: Home to Roost; Big Game Safari; Polling Booth 77H; Priority Project; Interview Panel; Olympic Torch Bearer; Riceee--Emergency Anthem!-- Before the Deluge program and poster--Before the Deluge: Song of the Lagoon Nomad; Population Control; Homage to Yellow Thrones; A Little to the Left--Unlimited Liability Company--Green Revolution--Playscript: The Invention--Book Reviews

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